thanks for being with us. >> thanks for having me. host: an election is coming up scheduled for january. it will give the south of sudan and opportunity to have some independence. guest: the referendum will be held in early january. january 9. we have done arrangements to get the voting materials in place. there have been in many different roadblocks. they have been fighting over the composition -- , composition of the commission. people are fighting over the selection of who will be over the commission's. a chairman was selected. now they have selected the secretary of general after an impasse for preparing the referendum. there have been delays. host: npr reported that after years of on and off civil war between sudan, they will vote if it should become an independent nation. no one is sure what independence will look like. after nearly half a century of course, they are expected to vote. -- century of wars, they are expected to vote. guest: they have been enslaved by the north and marginalized. i think the people of southern sudan